


A different kind of Hope

by SansFangirl4life



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Hope is good bean, M/M, Mostly Fluff, Skeleton Antics, a midquel, at least one ship xD, hopefully i didn't forget anyone lol, lots of characters, multiple skeletons struggle to raise a child, oneshots, will add more tags if needed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:41:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26107384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SansFangirl4life/pseuds/SansFangirl4life
Summary: Taking place in between Little Soul of the House and Skeletons in Heat by TheMSource, this is a collection of oneshots featuring the skeletons of both stories and how they handle their young charge...and how she effects their lives in turn.
Relationships: LostxMercury, Sans/Sans (Undertale)





	A different kind of Hope

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheMsource](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMsource/gifts).



> So...this is a thing xD Ok one day I just wanted to write something cute involving Hope and Fornax (Outerfell Papyrus) and it sorta....became a mini project that I can do at my own pace ^w^ I will warn that this may have some spoilers for events that haven't happened yet in Little Soul of the House, which is a prequel to Skeletons in Heat by my very good friend TheMSource (GO READ IT I COMMAND THEE! OWO)
> 
> As such I highly recommend reading her story first, to get an idea of how each skeleton behaves regularly, and if you want to read my prequel you are free to do so ^w^ But this is meant to help fill in the gap between the stories as well, given that they take place a few years apart from one another. It's really just my excuse to write lots of fluff xD
> 
> I do hope you enjoy the fluffiness! It will be....about 85% fluff with at least some angst thrown in. But I hope you enjoy it ^w^
> 
> PS: The reason for the mature rating is said one ship that's here, and possible violence or references to such, along with swearing x3

Chapter 1: Fornax

Fornax's eyes snapped open and he shot straight up in bed, panting heavily as his soul hammered behind scarred ribs. "Ngh....." He took a swift look at his surroundings and let out a disgruntled sigh. _Again....another one...._ He placed his head in his hands, pulling his knees up against his ribcage. _Another night terror....Damn...._ He grabbed a nearby cloth and wiped the beading sweat from his forehead and let out another, more ragged sigh. _Will these ever end?_ He looked out the window of his room, the large planet they orbited just in the corner.

He got out of bed and snatched a silken red robe, covered in various comet patterns. "Every night...it is almost always the same ones...." He whispered to himself. He walked out of his room and trudged slowly down the halls of the ship. All was quiet, many of the lights off to allow others a restful sleep. He folded his arms and grumbled a bit to himself. "This is maddening...I am the great and terrible Fornax! I should not be fretting over some....silly little nightmares! I am a grown ass skeleton, not some babybones!"

He stopped dead in his racks when he heard something. The door closest to him slowly creaked open, one of the very few doors with a knob. The door itself had several stickers covering it, the kind that glowed in the dark in various shades of pink, green and blue. Comets covered in glitter were in some of the more barren spots, a name in the center of it all.

Hope.

Fornax watched as tired blue and red eyes landed on his form. The small human's long blonde hair was a mess, possibly from tossing and turning in her sleep. She wore a set of light blue pajamas, covered in sleeping sheep, stars and moons with faces. She rubbed at her eyes, a fat poorly stitched together plushie of a water bear tucked under her arm. "....WHY ARE YOU AWAKE?" He spoke louder than he intended, making her jump ever so slightly before she let out a long yawn.

"...Uncle Fornax?" She looked at him, first at his face and then at the guarded stance he held. She said nothing at first to answer his question. Instead she simply walked over and slid her tiny, warm hand into his larger, scarred ridden one. ".....Can...Can I have a glass of apple juice?" Fornax looked down at the small child, fidgeting in her bare feet as she rubbed at her sleepy eyes. "Pretty please?" Fornax sighed and picked her up, feeling a tenseness in his bones relax when he heard a familiar sound.

_**Th-thump....th-thump....th-thump....** _

_She's still alright...._ "ALRIGHT, BUT ONLY ONE UNDERSTOOD?"

"Mmm!"

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Fornax watched as she sat at the table, sipping away at her juice. Her feet swung back and forth, a content look on her face as she kept the plushie in her lap. _She is such an enigma to me..._ He thought, arms crossed as he kept an eye on her. Ever since she had come to the ship she had shaken things up, and for awhile Fornax didn't know what to make of her. She had been insistent on getting to know them all, going so far as to label them as 'uncle' or 'big brother' (something Fornax realized was her way of seeing them as 'family') and this had stirred something in his hardened Soul.

At first he had been annoyed, usually ignoring her or even outright avoiding her. But then she had gotten in between a confrontation...one that had not been unwarranted on the aggressor's part. A magic he had not seen before, and it was _him_ she had been trying to protect, not the skeleton she had arrived in this reality with. _Hmph, as if he could have killed me...._ Though after sensing Lost's own intent to dust him on the spot, he wasn't so sure anymore. 

The end result had Hope laid up in bed for a few days, but not once did she lose her spark, nor her smile. After that, Fornax's night terrors began to involve her amidst the dead and conquered....and every time it jolted him awake much harsher than other times. Whenever that happened he would usually pace around, sometimes even stopping by her room to sense her Soul, that pitifully torn heart that still clung on.

He would get the sudden urge to carry her around when things like this happened, just to make sure she was still alive....her heart still beating and still in one piece. He felt a hand on his leg, jolting him from his musings. "ALL FINISHED?"

"Yes Uncle Fornax!"

"VERY WELL, NOW YOU GO BACK TO BED. YOU NEED TO BE WELL RESTED FOR YOUR TRAINING TOMORROW!" Honestly he didn't need to train her....old habits just died harder than others. She fidgeted and got up, only to walk back over to him and grab his hand. "WHAT IS IT NOW?"

"Umm....can...can you read to me first?"

"YOU ARE RATHER SELFISH FOR A HUMAN." He frowned a bit as she squeezed his hand a little harder. ".....NIGHTMARE?" Hope simply nodded and he let out a sigh. "Makes two of us I suppose..."

"Did you say something Uncle Fornax?"

"NOT A THING. VERY WELL THEN, GET SEATED ON THE COUCH." Hope rushed off to the couch and snatched the blanket off the top of it. Fornax shook his head, a small smile on his face as he grabbed a book. Good thing Mercury got all these books. She loves them. He sat down on the couch, only for her to scoot closer and cover him with the blanket. "YOU-"

"You won't be comfy like that Uncle Fornax!" He simply shook his head and began reading 'Good Night Moon'. Before to long though, he felt her small form slump into slumber, eyes shut and head resting against his chest. ".....That simply cannot be comfortable...." He whispered. He sighed and placed the book down on a small table beside the couch and made to get up when Hope's small hand clutched at his leg. _Ok so no moving....this child is so demanding, even in her sleep...._

Sighing he adjusted himself on the couch until Hope was sleeping on top of him. Her small fingers were curled up on his chest, twitching on occasion as she dreamed. _What do you dream of I wonder?_ He thought. He gently brushed a few stray strands of hair from her eyes and she let out a quiet sigh.

"Mmmm.....Uncle....For.....love.....you..." Fornax felt his Soul hammer in his ribs slightly as her hand came up and gently rested against his. He smiled despite himself and scooted further on the couch.

 _Well...what can I say to that?_ He closed his own eyes, hand squeezing hers gently. _I know I am great and terrible.....but....this is nice too....._

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Fornax woke up, he was a bit surprised to not see Hope resting on him. "HOPE? WHERE HAVE-" He closed his eyes for a moment, sensing her small Soul in the kitchen. "HMPH, ALWAYS AWAKE BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE....IT IS NO WONDER SHE TAKES AFTER THOSE LAZY WATERBEARS SO MUCH!" He got up and strode to the kitchen, stopping only as Hope stood on her toes to try and reach a pan. "HO-"

"Eeep!" His sudden voice startled her and she began to topple forward. He was over there in an instant, catching her before she hit the floor. "T-Thank you Uncle Fornax!"

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO CEASE WITH THIS BALANCING ACT!" Fornax scolded her. He sat her down on the ground and she fidgeted where she stood. "YOU CAN GET HURT DOING THAT, AND IF NO ONE IS AROUND WHEN IT HAPPENS WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH WORSE IT COULD GET!" Hope bit her bottom lip slightly, messing with her hair as he continued to scold her. Once she began to fiddle with it he let out a long sigh. _That's her nervous tick.....Mercury had told me to choose my words carefully with her at times.....ugh...._ "WELL....WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU DID NOT GET HURT. JUST ASK NEXT TIME ALRIGHT?"

"Ok!" She looked up at him with a big smile that made his Soul heat up his chest. "But...I didn't wanna wake you up....and well...." She pointed to the table nearby and Fornax turned. On it was a plate with at least 4 golden, fluffy pancakes, topped with syrup and butter. "I was gonna get you some grapefruit juice but we were out of clean cups on the bottom shelf...so..." Fornax turned back to her as she bowed to him. "I'm sorry and I promise to ask next time!"

Damnit....I can't even pretend to be mad at this... "....JUST AS LONG AS YOU LEARNED SOMETHING! HOWEVER.....THE SURPRISE IS...WELCOME." He picked her up and gave her a hug. She giggled and kissed his cheek. "GOOD MORNING HOPE."

"Morning Uncle Fornax!"

 _I still do not know what I do to deserve this kindness...this warmth she so readily shares with everyone around her..._ He thought as she put her own plate next to his and he began fixing their drinks. _But if simply being who I am is enough to make her smile...._ She waved at him, messy bedhead hair covering her eyes. He chuckled and brushed it behind her ears, earning an even bigger smile with her bright, cheerful eyes. _Then...I hope this peace lasts for a little while longer..._

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry I don't have many tags to offer Dx I'm a bit uncertain as to what to tag with. I'm sure I'll come up with more x'D


End file.
